Pancake Syrup
by mirajens
Summary: I'm a selfish boy when it comes to you. —Gruvia
1. Un

**Pancake Syrup****  
><strong>

by _slowrabbits_

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Juvia was acting strange.

And by strange, Gray didn't mean her usual stalker-ish habits. Strange as in, she wasn't following him around all day, devoting her undying love to him. Strange as in, she wasn't trying to feed him some love potion or make him wear a sweater she knitted with her hair or something. Strange as in, she wasn't crying actual rivers because he neglected to warn her that he'd be gone on a mission or just because he wouldn't go on a date with her. In fact, she barely even acknowledged him today and by the curious looks Mirajane tossed back and forth between him and Juvia, he knew he wasn't the only one who knew something was up.

Playing it cool, Gray slided over to Gajeel's table where the Iron Dragon Slayer was treating a bowl of scrap iron as if it was his regular breakfast cereal. Fucking weirdo, Gray thought, but this fucking weirdo was the closest friend Juvia had in the guild. Although it stabbed at Gray's pride to have to approach a turd like Gajeel, he didn't really have a choice, didn't he?

"Hey, man." Gray greeted Gajeel, as if they were friends.

A dubious looks crossed Gajeel's face. "'The fuck do you want, you two-cent stripper?"

"Haha, funny." Gray gave a dry laugh. "So listen, I was wondering if you've noticed something odd. With Juvia, I mean. You know, is it that time of the month for her..?"

"What the fuck?" Gajeel had to stop eating. "Why're you asking me all these gay-ass questions? The fuck should I know?"

Gray only glared at his companion. There was no need to make the conversation harder than it had to be!

"Whassamatter, trouble in paradise?" Gajeel asked, followed by the odd laugh that irritated Gray. "What, she professed her love for you just twenty times today?"

Unable to stand much more teasing, Gray stood from the table. "Forget it, you fucking nerd." The ice mage walked back to his place by the bar, mumbling about useless assholes.

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><p>It was late in the noon and he still had no fucking clue what was up with Juvia. The water mage chatted happily with Cana and Lucy, looking for all the world like, well, a normal girl. Gray just wasn't used to seeing Juvia doing normal things since most of the time found her doing creepy, stalker-ish things.<p>

Like swooning over his abs or some shit like that.

With a smile, Juvia rose from her seat and bid the girls goodbye. She was probably about to go home, so Gray saw that as the perfect opportunity to ask what the reason was for her odd behavior.

"Juvia! Wait up." He called as he approached. When she turned to face him, there were no hearts in her eyes.

"Gray," she acknowledged him politely. Notice the lack of honorific.

"Um. I just wanted to ask: Is anything wrong?" He asked, tugging on the collar of his shirt as was his nervous habit.

The blue-haired girl seemed surprised at the question. "No, nothing at all. Why would you think that?"

"Well, you're ignoring me, and you're not calling me Gray-sama anymore." Was his abashed answer. Damn if that didn't make him sound like a fucking pussy.

"Oh." Juvia smiled the smile of those adults who found small, stupid kids amusing. "Juvia just thought she'd stop chasing after Gray now. It's pointless, and embarrassing."

His jaw dropped as she walked away from him.

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><p>What did they say about a kid never wanting to share their toys?<p>

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: I was bored. Don't h8.

**UPDATE:** I feel really bad about leaving this just like that so I've decided to make it at least a two-parter. But yeah, I'll do that on my own time.

_**Please don't add this to you Favorites/Alerts if you're not going to review.**_


	2. Deux

**Pancake Syrup****  
><strong>

by _slowrabbits_

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Vicious rain poured from the dark clouds that loomed over Magnolia, soaking Gray to the bone. He experienced a kind of cold that never bothered him before, but he was sure it had nothing to do with the shitty weather.

The rain reminded him of her.

Maybe that was why he found himself braving the downpour he swore he hated just to see her again. Maybe that was why he was forming a million apologies in his head. Maybe that was why guilt chased his heart to a gallop. The truth that he hurt her finally sank in and he felt like such a fool. Typical of him to break anyone who tried to worm their way into his cold, black heart.

He was at her door.

A million regrets zipped through his head, all of them running along the context of "I'm such a fucking idiot what the fuck have I done?" but he supposed the old saying _regrets come last_ did have its merits.

She opened the door, and good God, the look on her face just broke his stupid heart in two with her sad eyes and tear tracks trailing down her cheeks.

"Gray-sama," she finally greeted him after a long, uncertain silence.

"Can I come in?" he asked gruffly, hands already itching to peel off the winter jacket that felt too heavy on his shoulders.

She looked hesitant for a minute. "I would rather we take this outside, Gray-sama." She suggested, leaving him no choice when she stepped out the door and began walking down the hall. "Erza-san will be home soon and she would not like it when she finds a boy in Fairy Hills."

"Fine with me." He muttered as he followed her outside where the rain had lightened up to a drizzle, creating a gloomy backdrop for the pretty girl that walked before him.

She stopped by the cliffs, hair blowing in the cold wind and catching droplets of rain. She was wearing a long sweater and not much else, it seemed, but Gray decided to forego informing her of that. Her legs did look quite delectable―

Oh, wait. He was actually here to do something aside from ogle her legs.

Onyx met blue and the eye contact was enough to make Juvia squirm. How she'd long for him to look at her for so long, but now there was only the desire to have him look away, go away and stay away. She was much too hurt to bask in his presence and right now, all she wanted to do was cuddle up in bed and have a good cry.

Gray seemed to sense the misery radiating off the blue-haired woman, but it was much too late to back down now. He was already here, and dammit, he would apologize even if she didn't want to hear it.

It was a mystery, though, what he wanted to apologize for. Was it for not loving her, or for not realizing it until now? So many things were unclear to him and suddenly, he felt six again: afraid to love and be loved.

"Listen, Juvia―" he started, only to be cut off when the water mage raised a hand palm up to stop him.

"I know you think you have to comfort Juvia, but there is no need, Gray-sama." She assured him, not sounding convincing at all.

Gray scoffed. He always did have the brusquest manners, even around women. Maybe especially around women. "How about you stop putting words in my mouth and just listen to what I have to say first, eh?"

Juvia pursed her lips.

Gray took that as permission to continue. Nervous hands found the back of his neck. "I guess I just want to say I'm sorry. For being a dick, basically. I don't know about comfort, but I really am sorry, and I hope that's enough for you."

She was silent for a while, which began to worry and upset Gray in equal measure. He wished she would say something, anything.

"Did Juvia ever matter to Gray-sama?" She asked, eyes were ablaze with all the hurt and longing she felt. "Even for just a moment, did Juvia matter?"

He was suddenly with no words for her. Funny how he spent the whole morning practicing his speech for her.

She'd loved him enough for the two of them and not once did he make the effort to acknowledge that. And now Juvia was done. She was done with his cold shoulder bullshit and always being the pathetic, love struck fangirl. She wouldn't want for him anymore, because God knew it was too painful not to be loved yet again.

"I didn't mean to hurt you." His voice was smaller than he felt.

"No one does," the water mage responded, a sad smile pulling the ends of her lips upwards. "But they always do in the end, anyway."

She began to walk away, thinking to salvage the broken pieces of her heart and maybe forget all about her plight when Gray grabbed her arm and spun her to him.

"I'm not gonna let you walk away, goddammit. I'm not gonna be stupid again."

It was with those words that Juvia felt her heart mend.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Whoaaaaaa cheesy ending. But I am a sucker for happy endings (although my penchant for angst stories might suggest otherwise) so you are stuck with the cheese. I hope this ending was satisfactory.

This is dedicated to everyone I have hurt with the last chapter of Ordinary Love. LOVE ME, DAMMIT.

_**Please don't add this to you Favorites/Alerts if you're not going to review.**_


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